The width is supposed to be more or less the same as the height, the rind is bloomy but not thick, the paste is solid (but not hard) and it dries/hardens as it ages.

This time I achieved a much better shape. To get that, you just pack the molds with more curd. “Pack” is actually not the right word since you have to let the curds drain a bit before you add more curd. The draining happens solely thanks to holes in the molds and the natural weight of the curd.

You can tell that the bloom is fairly thick though. There’s lots of fuzz happening, which tends to get wrinkly after a while. That’s great in some cases, but it’s not what we’re going for here.

When you cut it, a nice fairly firm paste is discovered wrapped in a fairly thick rind, with.. with… with… ash! Yep, I played with ash. It’s that darker, grayer layer in between the paste and the white rind. It’s purely for aesthetic purposes and I have to say… I like it! I know, I know, I should only be tweaking one thing at a time to figure out what works and what doesn’t. But man, adding ash was fun!

Anyways, you can also notice that there’s a thin layer of cream forming right under the rind… quite nice, but again, not exactly it.

I criticize, I analyze, but to the taste, this cheese is de-li-cious. It’s light and slightly goaty, a little chalky to the texture (but good chalky) with a subtle sweet finish. No acidity, no bitterness.

So all in all, this second attempt is MUCH better than the first one. It still has some cosmetic tweaks to be made. I think I’m most guilty of inoculating the milk with way too much mold bacteria which makes the rind bloom too much and creates that cream layer… I think.

You guys are an inspiration. I have gotten into this because of you both. Thank you! The cheese looks amazing. Did you use raw or pasteurized goat’s milk? I have a source for raw milk, but I am afraid since this one is not aged more than 60 days.

03.19.10

Hernando

ps… We are leaving for a week’s vacation next week… for the first time in my life, I cannot wait to get back from vacation to start making some of these cheeses… I got all the equipment and ingredients.

Hernando – thank you so much for the kind words! So glad you’re going to make some cheese, but so glad you’re getting a vacation! :)
The milk I use for all my cheeses are pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized). If you have a raw milk source, that’s fantastic! You can pasteurize it yourself – heat up the milk slowly to 145F in a stainless steel pot. Then on low heat maintain the temperature for 30 min. After 30 min, immerse the pot in a sink full of ice water to cool it quickly (essential in the process). Cool it down to the cheesemaking temp required. And then make your cheese!

03.22.10

Hernando

Thaaaank you!! The Crotin is definitely in my list… Although I like the texture on your first try… I am not so worried about replicating an existing cheese, but simply to create something really good. Have you considered trying a Banon type cheese? This would be me ultimate goal. There is a recipe in the 200 recipes book…

05.23.10

Alice

Would you mind posting the recipe you used? I am compiling a few before I make my fisrt Crottin attempt…Yours do look lovely!

Alice – Crottins are so much fun! So glad you’ll be trying to make your own. I will try and find some time to post the recipe. I apologize in advance if it takes me a little while. In the meantime, I would highly recommend getting your hands on this book: http://www.amazon.com/200-Easy-Homemade-Cheese-Recipes/dp/0778802183 But one tip about making Crottin, is to really fill the molds more than you think can fit. Not by squishing the curds down into the molds, but by waiting for them to drain for a few minutes and then re-filling. Otherwise, you’ll be ending up with a Crottin looking like this: http://laviesoleil.com/2009/10/crottin-first-attempt/

05.09.11

Kimberli

Hi there! Looks fab! Any chance you can email me your recipe for the crottin? I have been searching and can’t find one. Have ordered raw goats milk and haven’t got a recipe yet! Cheers, look forward to hearing from you! Kimberli

07.29.12

Ivy Chan

OMG all your cheeses just look soooooo scrumptious and wow, that’s all I can say. I am so inspired by all your work and actually did not know that you are in SF, I was from there too and now living in Seattle. Came across your cheese in the New England Cheesemaking Newsletter I think and Oh I am so glad that I looked up your blog, amazing!!! I have a blog too if you are ever interested in checking out at http://www.mercichocolat.blogspot.com and has some cheese in there too but of course nothing like yours!! Your cheese is the most beautiful cheese I have ever seen anyone made at home, thank you for putting on the blog to share.